Why We Need to Lift Weights

When it comes to developing a body that is able to perform at its optimal level, weight lifting should be more than just a consideration. Lifting weights is a core area of any exercise regime, as the amount of muscle present on a body directly impacts an individual’s overall health and wellbeing. Lifting weights, or any sort of strength training, works to

Develop muscular definition and tone

Increase strength

Improve posture

Prevent disease

Develop mood stability and improves overall mood

Aid in weight loss and maintenance processes

What Is Weight Lifting

Weight lifting is any sort of strength training that utilizes weights and muscular resistance to increase overall strength, or targeted areas. In specific, weight lifting traditionally consists of exercises requiring the use of dumbbells, weighted bars, and weight stacks. There are multiple focused types of weight lifting, such as olympic weightlifting and powerlifting.

Weighted exercises are broken down into repetitions and sets. Repetitions, or reps of an exercise, or the amount of times a specific exercise is done within a set. A set is how many times the number of reps are repeated after a break, or another exercise.

The Benefits of Lifting Weights

In addition to being an enjoyable and challenging exercise, regularly lifting weights pose many benefits for both the body and mind, including:

You’ll See Noticeable Progress

Between the ages of 30 and 50, people are apt to lose 10% of their bodies muscle composition, that is likely to be replaced by fat. Regular weight lifters are less likely to notice this loss of muscle, and with regular lifting sessions and increased amounts of weight and sets, will notice progress and definition of their muscular tone over time.

You’ll Get Better Sleep and Be More Productive

Individuals who regularly participate in weight bearing or lifting exercises report higher quality sleep on a regular basis. Researchers have also reported that individuals are up to 15% more productive on days that they exercise versus the days that they didn’t.

You Might Live Longer

Researchers at the University of South Carolina found that the strength of an individual's body is correlated with decreased risk of dying from cardiovascular cancer or disease.

You Can Burn More Calories

As a weight lifter, you’ll gain more muscle than an individual who doesn’t lift weights. When your body has access to more skeletal muscle, the higher the bodies metabolism. This is due to the excess energy needed to power muscles, meaning that with regular strength exercises, your body will be burning calories even while sitting down.

You'll Increase Your Happiness

Who knew exercising could put such a big smile on your face? Researchers have found that individuals who perform weighted exercises three days per week for a period of six months increased their overall mood and anger measure scores.

Contrary to popular opinion, lifting weights will not increase your muscle size drastically, unless you have designed a weightlifting program around a goal of doing so. Lifting weights can be sets of simple, quick exercises that can have amazing positive effects on your overall wellbeing.